Highlights: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10 — Irish defense holds until the fourth, but then Buckeyes strength shows

When Notre Dame designed its game plan to try to upset No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday night, it did not specifically intend to reduce the number of highlights in the top-five matchup, but that was a natural byproduct of slowing the game down. Fewer plays, with an emphasis on the ground game, would lead to fewer highlights. And the No. 5 Irish (0-1) pushed that approach to the limit in the 21-10 loss, to such an extent that the Buckeyes (1-0) even leaned into chewing the game clock late.

“It’s exactly what we wanted to do,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said after losing to his alma mater. “That was our plan going into the game, be able to control the clock, limit their offensive possessions and run the football.

“That was our mindset for this game. That’s what our keys to victory were, and we executed. It was a 10-7 game until seconds left in the third quarter.”

For a game expected to near 60 total points — think an Ohio State victory to the tune of 38-21 — posting only 17 total points through 44:43 seconds emphasized how well the Irish plan was working.

Time of possession is a fraught statistic, but Notre Dame had the ball for 16:35 of the first half. The Buckeyes had only five first-half possessions and 10 in the entire game. The Irish averaged 3.13 yards per rush through the first three quarters (sacks adjusted), not good enough to dominate a game but enough to keep the clock running. Through halftime, that was slightly better at 3.53 yards per carry — 17 attempts for 60 yards — part of how Notre Dame held a 10-7 lead at the break.

“All of that was part of the plan going into the game,” Irish sophomore quarterback Tyler Buchner said. “As the game unfolded, we just stuck to the plan.”

That plan produced few